Note: I have only played one time through so far. There may be other missions for each stage. I will update this post as I discover more. Or feel free to drop me a comment below with the details.
This is a guide to help you complete the Stage 2 NL Showdown on MLB the Show 20. I’ve tried to provide as much information as possible to assist you. If anything is wrong or missing, or if you have some helpful advice to share, put it in the comments.
Entry Cost
1,000 stubs
Missions Breakdown
1st Mission
Situation
You start batting with your 7th hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning of a tied game. You must find a way to break the tie and win the game.
| Duration | 3 half innings |
| Goals | Win the game |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 1 run |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL silver player1 silver perk |
| Other Rewards | 150 stubs300 experience points |
Strategy: You start in the bottom of the 8th inning, and your 7th hitter is leading off. You could choose to switch up your standard batting order to have your best two hitters in the 7th and 8th slots.
My suggestion, though, would be to flip your 5th/6th hitters with your 7th/8th hitters. This gives you a little more quality in the 8th inning. It also sets you up well with your best hitters for the 9th inning in case you do not get anything going in the 8th.
2nd Mission
Situation
You get to face prospect Sixto Sanchez, a right-handed pitcher for the Marlins. You have three innings to score two runs while tallying one extra-base hit. You also must not give up a run.
Strategy
At this point, you most likely don’t have a lot of lineup flexibility. Though, I will say, in my first run of this showdown my auto-draft player quality was noticeably better than anything I received during my many attempts at the 2nd inning showdown.
| Duration | No more than 3 innings |
| Goals | Score 3 runsTally 1 extra-base hitDon’t give up a run |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 1 run |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL silver batter1 silver perk |
| Other Rewards | 75 stubs350 experience points |
3rd Mission
Situation: Your goal is to walk off a tied game. You start in the 9th inning with your 1st hitter batting. You’ll face the closer for the opposing team (in my case, Melvin Adon for the Giants)
| Duration | Until someone wins |
| Goals | Win the game |
| Showdown Runs | 2 runs |
| Reward | 1 NL Silver player1 silver perk |
| Other Rewards | 150 stubs300 experience points |
Strategy: You start the 9th inning with the top of your order facing Melvin Adon who is a RHP for the Giants. Regular strategy applies: stack the top of your lineup with guys who are better against RHP. This will, more often than not, be your left-handed hitters.
In case you do not walk off in the 9th inning, you will be using your #1 starting pitcher in the top of the 10th inning.
4th Mission (Boss #1)
Situation:You face RHP Mark Prior from the Cubs. You start with a runner on 2nd base and your leadoff hitter batter. You get 12 outs to score three runs.
| Duration | Until 12 outs are recorded |
| Goals | Take the lead (i.e., score 3 runs) |
| Reward | 1 NL gold player1 gold perk |
| Other Rewards | 1 silver player pack500 stubs1000 experience points |
Strategy
The most important thing to note is that you start with the top of your lineup and are facing a RHP. Adjust your lineup order as appropriate.
Be patient against Prior. The most challenging pitch for me was breaking balls against my way-too-many right-handed hitters. I’m a sucker, what can I say.
I ended up rolling over my lineup, but high golds and diamonds came through pretty easily against him. If you’re not so great at hitting (like me), then use the bottom half of your lineup to run up the pitch count.
5th Mission | Difficulty: Veteran
Situation
You’re down 1 run in the 9th inning. You have a runner on first, and your 2nd hitter is batting. The Rockies right-handed pitcher Adam Ottavino is pitching.
Strategy
Right-handed pitcher again. Stack up those lefties or any other player with an advantage.
Note: Ottavino has a non-standard delivery that took me a bit to get accustomed to. You may consider going into practice mode to get the timing down.
| Duration | Until someone wins |
| Goals | Win the game |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 1 run |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 gold NL player1 gold perk |
| Other Rewards | 200 stubs750 experience points |
6th Mission
Situation
You have 3 innings to put a run and 3 hits against Brewers Future Star Zach Brown. All while not striking out 3 times. In the meantime, you must not give up a single run while striking out 3 hitters.
Strategy
By this point, you may want a decent starting pitcher for this mission. Other than that, Zach Brown is another right-handed pitcher. By this point, you know what to do.
| Duration | 3 innings |
| Goals | Tally 3 hitsScore 1 runStrike out 3 battersDo not give up a runDon’t strike out 3 times |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 2 run |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL gold player1 gold perk |
| Other Rewards | 200 stubs750 experience points |
7th Mission
Situation
You get to face Future Stars Adonis Medina from the Phillies. You start with the bases loaded and no outs. And you get your cleanup hitter, which means your #1-3 hitters are on base.
Strategy
For starters, you may want to consider adjusting your batting order. Putting your 3 best hitters in slots #4-6 ensures you maximize your chances of knocking in runners on base. And as always, three best hitters should take into account their splits against right-handed pitching.
| Duration | you: 6 outs | opponent: 3 outs |
| Goals | Score 3 runsDon’t give up 2 runsDon’t make 6 outs |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 2 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL gold player1 gold perk |
| Other Rewards | 200 stubs750 experience points |
8th Mission (2nd boss)
Situation
In this elimination mission, you must score 3 runs before making 15 outs. In this one, you start with a runner on 2nd base and your leadoff hitter batting.
You face left-handed Atlanta Braves Tom Glavine (Breakout).
Strategy
No different than the others, except this time you are facing a left-handed pitcher. If your team is anything like mine, you will be salivating. Stack the righties at the top and bash away (though, to be fair, it was the left-handed Brandon Nimmo who delivered the final blow).
| Duration | 15 outs |
| Goals | Score 3 runs |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 0 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL diamond batter1 diamond perk |
| Other Rewards | 1 silver player pack750 stubs3,000 experience points |
9th Mission
Situation
Face Future Star Alex Reyes, a St. Louis Cardinals right-handed pitcher. You have 3 innings to get two base hits and score one run. However, you must avoid giving up a run yourself.
You will be using your #1 starter if you do finish the mission in your first half-inning at bat.
Strategy
Stack the lineup against the right-handed Reyes.
| Duration | 2 innings |
| Goals | Tally 2 hitsScore 1 runDo not allow 1 runDon’t make 9 outs |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 2 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL gold player1 gold perk |
| Other Rewards | 250 stubs1,000 experience points |
10th Mission
Situation
Classic 9th inning matchup. You face a top closer (in my case, Edwin Diaz) and must score 1 run before the inning ends. You do get a headstart by having your leadoff hitter on base.
Strategy
Edwin Diaz is a right-handed pitcher, so feel free to move some of your left-handed hitters up in the lineup.
You have some options for strategy here. If you like attempting steals against the computer, then you should strongly consider putting your best base-stealer in the first spot of your lineup.
You would then want to put your hitters (against right-handed pitchers) in at #2-5.
| Duration | 1 inning |
| Goals | Score 1 runDon’t make 3 outs |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 2 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 NL diamond batter1 diamond perk |
| Other Rewards | 250 stubs1,000 experience points |
11th Mission
Situation
You face San Diego Padres Prospect Mackenzie Gore. Without making 9 outs over 3 innings, you must get multiple extra-base hits and score two runs, as well as not give up a home run to the CPU.
Strategy
Gore is our second left-handed pitcher faced this showdown. So, adjust the lineup accordingly.
On the pitching side, you could consider reviewing your starting pitchers and bullpen to find someone with low HR/9. I don’t bother with this: I want the pitcher I feel most comfortable with on the mound. If you don’t adjust anything, you will begin the game with your #1 starting pitcher.
| Duration | 3-inning game |
| Goals | Tally 2 extra-base hitsScore 2 runsDon’t give up a home runDon’t make 9 outs |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 2 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | 1 diamond player1 diamond perk |
| Other Rewards | 250 stubs900 experience points |
12th Mission (Final Boss)
Situation
Face recently released Future Star Brusdar Graterol, right-handed pitcher who was recently acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
You must take the lead before recording 20 outs. The number of runs you must score depends on how well you did on all of the missions during the showdown.
Strategy
Learn how to catch up to a 100 miles per hour sinker. Or take all pitches and hope to walk off the mission literally. The former is quite difficult, but possible. The latter statement is not possible, though Graterol does not have the best control. I was able to draw several walks.
| Duration | 20 outs |
| Goals | Take the lead. |
| Showdown Runs Awarded | 0 runs |
| Showdown Draft Picks | none (it’s the end!) |
| Other Rewards | 5 NL Team Affinity Stage 2 Vouchers1,000 stubs6,000 experience points |